Back support attachment for seats



Aug. 2, 1966 B. ETTINGER 3,263,245

BACK SUXPORT ATTACHMENT FOR SEATS Filed OCt. 17. 1963 FIG. 3

FIG. In A INVENTOR. BET TE ETTINGER ATTORNEYS United States Patent O3,263,245 BACK SUPPORT ATTACHMENT FOR SEATS Bette lttinger, 220 F...63rd St., New York, N.Y. Flled Oct. 17, 1963, Ser. No. 316,904 3 Claims.(Cl. 4-2S4) This` invention relates to a back support attachment forchairs, seats, toilets, and the like, and more particularly to a deviceused to support the small of the back and supplement the supportingaction of seats, chairs and the like.

With a majority of the seats and chairs in present use, includingtoilets, the back of the occupant or user is not adequately supportedand the body tends to assume` a cramped and harmful posture.Conventional straight back chairs and toilets have a generally flatsurface for a back rest, which provides no added support to the back,especially the small of thc back or properly supports lthe spine. Theoccupant slumps while sittingsince the small of the back beingnon-supported is urged rearwardly. Further, many people who sufl'er fromback problems, require firm and positive support of the small of theback to prevent being uncomfortable or to suffer ill effects.

lt is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a hacksupport attachment for use with a variety of seats, chairs and the like,which positively supports the back of the occupant, and maintains theposture of the body in a comfortable manner.

Still another object of the present invention is vto provide a back restattachment for seats and thc like, which is portable and can be quicklyand easily attached to different types of seats and chairs, includingtoilets, for yicldably supporting the back of the user.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a backrest cushion, which may be collapsed after use and which is comfortableyet firm for positively stipporting the small of the back to maintainthe posture of the user, which adds comfort to the occupant as it tendsto hold the spine in proper, restful position.

Other and further objects and features of the present invention willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration oftheattached drawings in which one embodiment of the invention isillustrated by way of example only, and on which similar referencecharacters indicate similar parts; wherein- FIGURE l is a frontelevational view illustrating one application of the present inventionon a toilet lid;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the embodiment shown in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the toilet seat with the lid containingthe present invention in erect position; and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view showing another embodimcnt.

Now referring to the drawings, the present invention is shown in usewith a conventional type of toilet in which the lid or cover 12 and seat14 are hinged about a pin 16 attached to a base 18. Lid 12 is shown inits elevated position in the drawing and the toilet is of gcneralconventional construction.

As discussed above, a conventional toilet lid 12 has a generally flatsurface, which does not adequately support the back of the user, whichresults in the body assuming a cramped and harmful posture. Further, ifthe user has a back problem, the lack of support is painful.

Removably mounted to lid 12 is a support body 20 which is so mounted tobear against the small of the back of the occupant of seat 14. Supportbody 20 is removably attachcd to cover 12 by means of an expandable band22, which securely engages cover 12 to hold body 20 in fixed,predetermined position with respect to seat 14.

Support body 20 could have a variety of shapes, and as illustrated inthe drawing, has generally fiat sides and ends. Support body 20 has athicker center portion or protuberance 24 which extends outwardly fromits front facing surface, to engage the back of the occupant of seat 14,as illustrated best in FIGURES 2 and 3. Pro-` tuberance 24 is generallywedge-shaped and firmly supports and cushions thc small of the back ofthe user and conforms to the variations in size of the user.Protuberance 24 has a rounded outer surface of suflicient width toprovide comfortable support for the back.

Advantageously, cushion body 20 is firm yet yieldable when in use, so asto provide a comfortable support. Support 20 may be formed ofpolyurethane foam, foam rubber, sponge cloth, or other suitable firm butyieldable material. It can also be formed of air impermeable material,with an air valve to be inflatable, which materially aids theportability of the cushion body.

Support body 20 could be of a size small enough to fit within theopening enclosed by seat 14, so that when cover l2 is in closedposition, not shown, body 20 extends downwardly into base 18.

While support body 20 is shown removably secured to cover l2 by means ofan elastic or expandable band 22, other types of construction forremovably supporting body 20 could be used, such as straps, suction cupsor hooks, or the like. The base of body 20 could be made larger so as tobe self-supporting on a chair seat.

It is further desirable as an aid to maintaining body 20 in satisfactorycondition that the outer covering therefor be made removable andwashable.

A further embodiment is shown in FIGURE 4 where a support body 30 isndjustably positioned on the back of seat 32. Body 30 is elongated andtape-red to support the small of the back and spine to properly positionthe body in the manner described above. An elastic band 34 suppportsbody 30 in its desired position.

It is seen that an extremely simple support for the small of the back ofthe user or occupant of a chair or seat has been provided, which is firmyet yieldable and-which correctly supports the body in a postureto aidin the comfort of the user, and which can be easily transported fromscat to seatineluding toilets. Further, the support is readily adaptablefor all types of chairs, -both with backs on which it can be mounted, orjust resting on the seat juxtaposed to the back of a chair.

'Although a particular structure has been described, it `should beunderstood that the invention'should not be limited to the particularembodiment of the invention shown by way of illustration, but rather tothe scope of the invention covered by the appended claims.

" What is claimed is:

l. An attachment for the back member of a seat for a human bodycomprising a yieldable cushion, means on said cushion for removablyattaching it to said back member, said cushion projecting outwardly fromsaid back member and being generally wedge shaped and tapering from thethinnest portion at the upper end thereof to be 05 located adjacent thetop of said back member to the thickest portion at the lower end thereofto be located adjacent the bottom of the back member, said cushion beingnarrower than long to engage the spinal area of a human body sitting onthe seat with said thickest projecting portion engaging a lower area ofthe human body.

2. An attachment for the back member of a seat for a human bodycomprising a yicldable cushion, means on said cushion for removablyattaching it to said back member, said cushion having a central portionprojecting outwardly from a portion of the cushion on each side thereof,said central portion being generally wedge shaped and tapering from thethinnest portion at the upper end to be located adjacent the top of saidback member to the thickest portion at the lower end thereof to belocated adjacent the bottom of said back member to engage the spinalarca of a human body sitting onthe sent with the thickest part of thecentral projecting portion engaging a lower arca of the human body.

3. An attachment as set forth in claim 2 wherein the lower end of saidcentral projecting portion is rounded.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS LAVERNE D.GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

H. GROSS, Assistant Examiner.

l/ 1962 Great Britain.

1. AN ATTACHMENT FOR THE BACK MEMBER OF A SEAT FOR A HUMAN BODYCOMPRISING A YIELDABLE CUSHION, MEANS ON SAID CUSHION FOR REMOVABLYATTACHING IT TO SAID BACK MEMBER, SAID CUSHION PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROMSAID BACK MEMBER AND BEING GENERALLY WEDGE SHAPED AND TAPERING FROM THETHINNEST PORTION AT THE UPPER END THEREOF TO BE LOCATED ADJACENT THE TOPOF SAID BACK MEMBER TO THE THICKEST PORTION AT THE LOWER END THEREOF TOBE LOCATED ADJACENT THE BOTTOM OF THE BACK MEMBER, SAID CUSHION BEINGNARROWER THAN LONG TO ENGAGE THE SPINAL AREA OF A